Red Hands (editing)

Chapter 3: The Wild and Free

We passed through the Mushroom Wood, a forest of magikal mushrooms in hues of pink, wild blues, and oranges like the sunset, their caps towering tall above our heads. We traveled through a dense forest thick with treehouses and makeshift bridges built inside a rare sanctuary called Half-Being Haven, which was reserved exclusively for those who'd lived there long before the royal family'd established its crown - the only exception to Celeste's travel bans. Next, we traversed the Luminescent Lake from wooden bridges swinging high in the trees. Clear water sparkled below us with the reflections of gemstones that grew in clusters on the floor of the lake. The road to Celeste was more beautiful than anything I'd ever seen.

I walked at the back of the unit with my mouth sewn shut, staring wide-eyed at the natural beauties we journeyed through. I'd never seen so much space and so many colors at once. It reminded me of Priestess Zelze and her study, filled with plants and natural wonders I'd begged her to teach me about when General Andressa'd first sent me to her. We used to sit on the rugs in Zelze's study and brew potions for the ill. We'd stand outside the temple in the morning and offer bread or shelter to the hungry and poor who'd nothing but the ragged clothes on their backs. Often, I'd hunted around the Ninth Circle for herbs and flowers Zelze'd needed for her work or otherwise made my way toward the upper circles to a few trusted friends. And at the end of the day, Zelze'd teach me a new lesson about ancient aelfen practices, and we'd fall asleep on those same rugs in her study. I missed her. I'd never known my parents, but Zelze was the closest thing to a real guardian I'd ever had, including General Andressa. The general'd tried her best to help me, but she couldn't understand my panmagik, the most sacred and intimate part of me. Zelze'd loved and cared for me as if I was her own child, and she would've protected me with her life if she'd ever gotten the chance. Her memory was with me always.

Pam fluttered along beside me. "This reminds me of my hometown."

"I thought you grew up in the faerealm, Pamphil," said Lovelace.

"Sure, but do you even know how many of these plants come from the fairfolk?" Pam paused to admire a blushing bush sprouting cosmos flowers. He reached inside to pluck some from their stem and then turned back to us, smiling with such pure joy that I couldn't help but smile back. "For my lovely Dol," he said, sliding a flower behind her ear, "and my deadly Mort."

With a wink and his signature grin, Pam tucked one flower behind each of my horns and covered the stems with my curls so they would stay. His touch was cool against my face, and for a moment I could only stare at him, watching his vibrant white eyes sparkle with excitement. He was the second being that day to touch my horns without flinching, but the smooth skin of his hands felt different than Embrose's calloused palms. I stepped closer toward Pam, squinting at the dust of pink gracing his white cheeks. Pam looked back into my eyes, his blush deepening, and he only glanced away when Lovelace snatched him by the wrist and dragged him along with her, winking at me as they abandoned me on the moss-covered path. I didn't mind. I watched them, my eyes lingering on their interlocked arms. Pamphil Kier and my warden were happy with each other and seeing them as a couple made my stomach flutter just like Pam's wings.

"Ye're dearly fond of 'em, yeh?"

Oggs's rumbling voice startled me out of my daydream, pushing my chin up to see him walking alongside me, his hulking legs unnaturally slow to keep pace with my short ones. Oggs was huge and green, although a much lighter shade than Emb's forest color, and he wore plated armor that might've been built for five beings. But despite his ogrish features, he was gentler than almost anyone I'd ever known.

"There's soot on yer nose," I said, smiling up at him. My accent was thicker, matching the stress of the Ninth Circle in Oggs's booming voice.

Oggs smiled at me around a double set of elephant-like tusks that crinkled the skin around his beady eyes. "I've always got soot on me nose, mm?"